High field deuterium NMR spectra have been recorded for various horseradish peroxidase complexes reconstituted with hemins possessing specific 2H labels. The line width of the 2H NMR signals of deuteroheme reconstituted-horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and its cyano complex for the immobilized skeletal 2-2H and 4-2H labels yield the overall protein rotational correlation time (22 ms at 55° C), which is consistent with expectations based on molecular weight. Meso-2H4 labels yield broad (1.3 kHz) signals just upfield from the diamagnetic protein envelope for HRP, and in the central portion of the protein envelope for the CN− ligated resting state HRP. Meso-2H4-labeled mesohemin-reconstituted HRP exhibits a similar signal but shifted further upfield by ∼10 ppm. The net upfield meso-H hyperfine shifts confirm a five-coordinate structure for resting state HRP. 2Ha resonances for essentially rotationally immobile vinyl groups were detected in both resting state HRP and CN− ligated resting state HRP. Heme methyl-2H-labeling yields relatively narrow lines (∼80 Hz) indicative of effective averaging of the quadrupolar relaxation by rapid methyl rotation. Thus the 2H line width of rapidly rotating methyls in hemoproteins can be used effectively to determine the overall protein tumbling rate. Preliminary 2H experiments in meso-2H4-labeled compound I do not support large π spin density at these positions on the porphyrin cation radical, and argue for a a1u rather than a a2u orbital ground state.
